FLOODY HELL: More homes to be submerged as PM backs Environment Agency

UNDER THREAT: David Cameron walks through flood-hit Somerset on Friday [PA]

Fourteen severe flood warnings have been issued in Berkshire and Surrey while two remain in place in flood-ravaged Somerset.

David Cameron vistied the submerged South West today with him "determined to see as much of the impact of the flooding as he can".

He has backed the work of the Environment Agency saying that the agency is doing everything it can.

He said: "I back the Environment Agency, I back the work they're doing ... that's all I'm interested in at the moment.

"Right now everybody's got to focus at the job in hand"

Lord Smith, chairman of the Environment Agency, has hit back at critics of his agency and claims his staff know "100 times" more about the current situation than any politician.

Speaking earlier, he said: "I have kept my counsel up to now, but when I hear someone criticising the expertise and professionalism of my staff in the Environment Agency, who knew 100 times more about flood risk management than any politician ever does, I'm afraid I'm not going to sit idly by.

"The Environment Agency is bound by the rules that are laid down by government."

Lord Smith was speaking after Mr Pickles has suggested the government relied too heavily on advice from the Environment Agency and had "made a mistake" in not dredging the Somerset Levels earlier.

PROTECTION: Villagers hastily try to build some flood defences [PA]

He also said he would not wear a "save Chris Smith T-shirt".

Other developments include:

• An earth bank has been constructed to protect the town of Bridgwater, bordering the Somerset Levels, from flooding

• Essex County Council says it is releasing £1m of emergency funds to tackle road flooding across the country.

• Downing Street rejected suggestions that the Cabinet was at war over the Government's response to the floods.

• Nick Clegg has said now is not the time to point the "finger of blame" over the handling of the crisis.

UNDER FIRE: Lord Smith has hit back at those critical of his agency's response [PA]

DEEP END: A woman wades her way to the shops in Berkshire [EPA]

Many homes in the village of Datchet are currently underwater as Thames Valley Police have declared a "major incident" in the east of the county.

Transport continues to be heavily affected by the storms and floods with the main rail route into Devon and Cornwall still cut off during to damage.

In total over 300 warnings and alerts have been issued across the country with the Met Office now warning of ice forming across much of the UK.